Cubix Xpander Desktop Elite User Manual

Cubix Corporation  2800 Lockheed Way  Carson City, NV 89706-0719  Page 1
Sales 800.829.0550  http://www.cubix.com  sales@cubix.com  Xpander-desktop-elite-g3 20190201
Xpander Desktop Elite
Gen 3 User Guide
Xpander Desktop Elite (see the image at the
right) is a portable PCI Express (PCIe)
expansion enclosure that enables connection of
graphics processing units (GPUs) or other
controllers to a host computer. The host must
provide one PCIe x16 expansion slot available
for the host interface controller (HIC).
Install the x16 HIC and cable in a PCIe Gen 3
x16 slot to provide a theoretical 128Gbps
connection to Desktop Elite with four slots.
Desktop Elite provides four PCIe Gen 3 x16
slots on one mainboard for double-wide GPUs
that are NVIDIA® Compute Unified Device
Architecture (CUDA) or OpenCL-enabled.
Desktop Elite supports other PCIe adapters as
well. It supports applications that exploit
multiple GPUs, including rendering graphics or
high-performance computing (HPC).
Desktop Elite standard version features a 1,500Watt power supply, 4 x 8P + 8P auxiliary power
connectors and a fan that cools 4 x double-wide, actively-cooled GPUs. Optional versions
feature either a 1,600Watt power supply or a 1,200Watt power supply with 4 x 8P + 6P auxiliary
power connectors and a fan that cools 4 x double-wide, actively-cooled GPUs or other PCIe
cards. Adjustable fan settings (see page 8) allow quieter operation if fewer GPUs or single-wide
GPUs or other PCIe cards are installed.
Xpander Desktop Elite Technical Specifications
Expansion slots, x16 std
PCI Express x16 mechanical / electrical on 1 Main Interface Boards (MIB)
Number of slots / MIB
4 slots / 1 MIB
Form factor support
4 double-wide, full-length, full-height controllers / adapters
PCIe device support
PCIe cards must adhere to PCIe specifications for power and dimensions:
maximum 250Watts and 4.38in (111.15mm) H x 10.51in (267.00mm) L
Connecting cable
External PCI Express x16, 136-pin
Connector duty cycle
250 mating cycles maximum per connector
Length, standard
2.00meters (78.74inches or 6.56feet)
Length, optional
1.00meters (39.37inches or 3.28feet)
PCIe x16 HIC
Install in a PCIe x16 slot in the host computer
In host PCIe Gen 3 slot
Provides theoretical 128Gbps data transfer
Front panel LCD
Main menu = left button; sub-menu = right button (See detail on page 7.)
Cubix Corporation
MIB assembly and revision; management firmware revision
Power supply status
Standard main power; optional redundant power
Temperature status
3 sensor readouts in degrees Centigrade (C)
Fan status
Fan status, voltage percent (%) speed
PCIe link status
x16 cable connected; 8.0Gbps x16 link speed
x16 cable
Connected or not connected status

Cubix Xpander Desktop Elite Specifications

General

Brand	Cubix
Model	Xpander Desktop Elite
Category	Computer Hardware
Language	English

Summary

Xpander Desktop Elite Technical Specifications

Quick Start without Detail

Start-up / Test Procedure with Detail

Normal Power On/Off Procedure

Describes standard power on/off sequence for Xpander and host computer.

Front Panel LCD

Overview of the front panel LCD, its buttons, and status indicators.

Start Menu

Details the main menu structure for Cubix Corporation information.

Power Supply Status

Explains how to check power supply status and interpret readings.

Temperature Status

Describes how to view temperature sensor readings and identify faults.

Fan Status

Details how to check the status of the unit's fans.

PCle Link Status

Explains how to check PCIe link status and cable connectivity.

LCD Backlight Control

Instructions for toggling the front panel LCD backlight on or off.

Fan Speed Control

Details how shunts JP7 and JP8 control fan profiles and noise levels.

Shipping Procedure

Troubleshooting Procedure

Front-panel LCD asterisk does not flash

Addresses issues with the front-panel LCD asterisk indicator not appearing.

HB LED inside Xpander flashes green

Explains that a flashing HB LED indicates the MCU is running properly.

Cable LED inside Xpander does not light green

Guides users on checking HIC seating and cable connections for the Cable LED.

Cable LED inside Xpander flashes green even though I have a PCIe x16 HIC and cable

Explains reduced bandwidth due to incorrect PCIe slot type.

Slot LED inside Xpander does not light green

Provides steps for reseating GPUs and checking power connections if slot LEDs are off.

Slot LED inside Xpander flashes green even though I installed a PCIe Gen 3 x16 GPU or card

Suggests applying a processing load or checking drivers if slot LEDs flash.

All Cable and Slot LEDs are lit green but your OS does not detect the GPUs

Guides users to shut down, reseat GPUs, and check power connections.

The front-panel LCD screen backlight is flashing on/off, which indicates a fault

Explains how to acknowledge faults displayed on the front-panel LCD.

The front-panel LCD screen either does not respond or is blank even though Xpander is operating

Instructs users to reset the Micro-Controller Unit (MCU) via the MIB Select button.

The front-panel LCD screen either does not respond or is blank for a particular MIB even though Xpander and the MIB are both operating

Provides steps to reset the MCU by holding the Menu button for 3 seconds.